Perjury (A Sherlock Fanfiction)

Chapter 1

"Brayleigh, dear, could you go into my room and fetch my watch for me?" Mrs. Saorise asked her daughter, "I would hate to leave it behind."

"Sure, Mum. I presume you want the one Dad gave you for your anniversary?"

"Yes, dear, thank you."

Brayleigh, a beautiful woman of thirty-eight with short brown hair, chocolate brown eyes, and a defined face, meandered her way to her mother's bedroom. On the night stand, next to the lush queen mattress, sat the small gold watch that Mr. Saorise had given his wife on the last anniversary they shared together before he had passed. Inscribed on the inside of the watch was the phrase "Forever and Always Mine".

Brayleigh ran her thumb over the engraving as she began to wander around her mother's room. This was the last memory either of them would have of the small flat where Brayleigh had spent her entire life.  Mrs. Saorise was terminally ill and, not wanting to trouble her daughter with an estate when she passed, had divided up her property and decided to live out the rest of her life in a nursing home. 

As Brayleigh passed her mother's bare mattress, she happened to notice a small cluster of newsprint slyly tucked between it and the headboard.  I wonder how long those have been there, Brayleigh thought as she made her way over to where the papers were stashed.  She turned one of the small clippings over to look at the headline which, in bold lettering, read "Infant Gone Missing."  Below the title was a black and white image of a baby girl, no more than three months old.  Brayleigh furrowed her eyebrows in concentration as she began examining clipping after clipping, all of which had the same, or similar, title and image and were from a variety of newspapers, some even coming from the United States and Australia.  Setting the papers down, Brayleigh took a step back and covered her mouth with her right hand.  "Oh my God," she whispered under her breath as she stared in shock at the little pile of newsclippings she had compiled on her mother's mattress, suddenly realising who the baby girl was.

Looking around to make sure she was not being watched, Brayleigh proceeded to hide the clippings in the inner pockets of her coat.  "Did you find that watch yet, Brayleigh, "  Mrs. Saorise yelled from the living room.  

"Yes, Mum, I did," Brayleigh responded, trying to find the strength to talk to the woman whom she had loved and called 'Mum' her entire life.

Brayleigh could feel Mrs. Saorise staring at her as she handed her the watch.  In an attempt to appear normal, Brayleigh made eye contact with the elderly woman and smiled.  "This is a beautiful gift Dad gave you," she said, struggling to get the word 'Dad' out. 

As if miraculously, Brayleigh's phone went off.  Taking it in her hand, Brayleigh looked down at the screen, and then at Mrs. Saorise. "I'm terribly sorry, Mum, but they need me at the hospital," she said, "I should get going."

Throwing on her boots, Brayleigh grabbed her purse and sprinted out the front door and onto the sidewalk.  Chilled air hit her face as she ran down the sidewalk, making sure that she was far enough away from the elderly woman's house that she would not be noticed.  Sitting down on a bench, Brayleigh got onto the blog she had been following recently.  Written by a Dr. John Watson, the blog detailed several cases that he and his flatmate, Sherlock Holmes, had solved.  Brayleigh selected the "Contact Us" link on the page, which took her to a blank page on which she could type a message.  Without hesitation, she fervently typed I THINK I HAVE A CASE.